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Kathryn Ascher

What It Takes

Synopsis

After graduating college, Kelsey Morgan left her small-town Virginia roots to make it in L.A. After years slogging in commercials and music videos, her movie career is finally taking off. But she's still miles behind her current costar, and Hollywood playboy, Patrick Lyons. Kelsey does everything she can to avoid Patrick off-set, hoping to not become fodder for the supermarket tabloids that scour the streets for Patrick, trying to get an exclusive look at him and his alleged woman of the week. Kelsy has successfully kept Patrick at a distance, and her reputation intact, until her drunkard brother-in-law Richard threatens to ruin everything by selling her darkest secret to the highest bidder. Now the victim of blackmail, Kelsey has nowhere else to turn but to Patrick's arms. But, can he be trusted? Or will the past destroy them all before she can find out if he's the hero she needs? "What it Takes" is the first book in the Rocky Creek Series by Kathryn Ascher. Sequels are expected to release in 2015 and 2016.

Author Biography

Born and raised in Virginia, Kathryn Ascher tried her hand at poetry and fiction in high school, but put it all aside when she went to college. After graduating with her degree in communications, she married her college sweetheart and went to work for a local radio station. After the birth of her third child, Kathryn decided to give writing another try. When she picked up her first romance novel, she immediately knew that was the genre for her. Kathryn currently resides in Florida with her husband and three children.

Author Insight

College football

Grayson can never have too much fun, and this conversation is a fairly good example. Despite Kelsey and Patrick not being happy with the events of their first outing, Grayson is ready to go again, but there is a slight problem. They are filming in Knoxville, home of the University of Tennessee, a team in the SEC, one of college football's biggest conferences, and Grayson seems to have forgotten how big college football is in the south. In my experience, it's never a good idea to venture out into a college town, either the night before or the day of a game if you don't have to. When we lived in Virginia, even our town was overrun with fans on game weekend...and we were forty-five minutes away. Kelsey's request that they wait is really two-fold though, she wants to avoid the crowd, yes, but she also doesn't want to go out again. And given Grayson's additional comments, she's certainly not interested in watching Patrick flirt with anyone else.

Book Excerpt

What It Takes

“I thought we were going out,” Grayson grumbled.

“Ugh, not again,” Kelsey groaned without looking at him.

“Why not?” Grayson whined. “Last night was fun.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Kelsey mumbled.

Patrick silently agreed. The dancing had started out promising, but by the end of the night, he’d been miserable. He had hoped that Kelsey would dance with him and her stubborn refusal had bewildered him so much, he’d left earlier than he’d intended. To make matters worse, Grayson had come to his hotel room later to inform Patrick that he’d gotten Kelsey to dance with him. Again. Then Grayson had tried to laugh with him over Kelsey’s idea that Patrick had actually taken those immature brats back to his room.

Patrick hadn’t found that the least bit funny.

“It was fun for everyone but you, Red, and that was your fault,” Grayson chided.

Patrick felt the heat from Kelsey’s fiery look from where he stood. “We can find another way to entertain ourselves without going out tonight,” he suggested, trying to placate them both.

With a muffled groan, Kelsey rolled her eyes. “We’re in a college town in the South,” she explained as if talking to a child, “and it’s the night before a home football game.”

“All the more reason to go out.” Grayson looked at Patrick. “Am I right?”

Patrick shook his head, sure he wouldn’t like where this conversation was heading.

“Aw, c’mon. I thought you liked those Southern co-eds.”

Patrick was right, he didn’t like where the conversation was heading. His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. “I didn’t say that.”

“Yes, you did. Remember? We met those sorority chicks at that club in Vegas. You said something about that song, “California Girls.” You said you couldn’t wait to experience the Southern girls.” Grayson’s hearty laughter died abruptly when he looked at Kelsey.

Patrick saw her horrified expression then briefly glanced over his shoulder and met Veronica’s half-amused, half-embarrassed grimace. He looked out of the window directly across from him as he plotted Grayson’s slow, painful demise.

Kelsey visualized daggers at the top of Grayson’s head. At least he’d had enough sense to be abashed by what he’d said, and was now focusing on the table, refusing to meet her glare. “Okay, Grayson, first of all, you’re too old to be going after co-eds. That’s just asking for trouble,” she said and cast a quick glance at Patrick, who was focused on the window, an angry frown on his face. She hoped he was thinking of the women he’d been dancing with last night and was suitably ashamed of his behavior, as well. Kelsey looked back at Grayson. “Second, unfortunately, the co-eds will still be here next week, but the alumni and the rest of the game traffic won’t be. I’m just suggesting we wait until some other time, when it’ll be less crowded.”